按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃You are right；〃 he said。 〃The bandying of words between you and
me is a waste of time。 We are both of us too old at the game。 But
come； before I go I will do you a good turn。 I will prove that I
am in a generous mood。〃
Mr。 Sabin shrugged his shoulders。
〃If anything in this world could inspire me with fear；〃 he remarked；
〃it would be the generosity of the Prince of Saxe Leinitzer。〃
The Prince sighed。
〃You always misunderstand me；〃 he murmured。 〃However； I will prove
my words。 You spoke of an appeal。〃
〃Certainly；〃 Mr。 Sabin answered。 〃I intend to impeach you for
making use of the powers entrusted to you for your own private ends
… in other words； for making an arbitrary misuse of your position。〃
The Prince nodded。
〃It is very well put；〃 he said。 〃I shall await the result of your
appeal in fear and trembling。 I confess that I am very much afraid。
But； come now； I am going to be generous。 I am going to help you
on a little。 Do you know to whom your appeal must be made？〃
〃To the Grand Duke！〃 Mr。 Sabin replied。
The Prince shook his head。
〃Ah me！〃 he said； 〃how long indeed you have been absent from the
world。 The Grand Duke is no longer the head of our little affair。
Shall I tell you who has succeeded him？〃
〃I can easily find out；〃 Mr。 Sabin answered。
〃Ah； but I warned you that I was in a generous mood；〃 the Prince
said； with a smile。 〃I will save you the trouble。 With your
permission I will whisper the name in your ear。 It is not one which
we mention lightly。〃
He stepped forward and bent his head for a moment。 Afterwards； as
he drew back； the smile upon his lips broadened until he showed all
his teeth。 It was a veritable triumph。 Mr。 Sabin； taken wholly
by surprise； had not been able to conceal his consternation。
〃It is not possible；〃 he exclaimed hoarsely。 〃He would not dare。〃
But in his heart he knew that the Prince had spoken the truth。
CHAPTER XXIII
After all；〃 said the Prince； looking up from the wine list； 〃why
cannot I be satisfied with you？ And why cannot you be satisfied
with me？ It would save so much trouble。〃
Lady Carey； who was slowly unwinding the white veil from her picture
hat； shrugged her shoulders。
〃My dear man；〃 she said； 〃you could not seriously expect me to fall
in love with you。〃
The Prince sipped his wine … a cabinet hock of rare vintage … and
found it good。 He leaned over towards his companion。
〃Why not？〃 he asked。 〃I wish that you would try … in earnest； I
mean。 You are capable of great things； I believe … perhaps of the
great passion itself。〃
〃Perhaps；〃 she murmured derisively。
〃And yet；〃 he continued； 〃there has always been in our love…making
a touch of amateurishness。 It is an awkward word； but I do not
know how better to explain myself。〃
〃I understand you perfectly；〃 she answered。 〃I can also； I think；
explain it。 It is because I never cared a rap about you。〃
The Prince did not appear altogether pleased。 He curled his fair
moustache； and looked deprecatingly at his companion。 She had so
much the air of a woman who has spoken the truth。
〃My dear Muriel！〃 he protested。
She looked at him insolently。
〃My good man；〃 she said； 〃whatever you do don't try and be
sentimental。 You know quite well that I have never in my life
pretended to care a rap about you … except to pass the time。 You
are altogether too obvious。 Very young girls and very old women
would rave about you。 You simply don't appeal to me。 Perhaps I
know you too well。 What does it matter！〃
He sighed and examined a sauce critically。 They were lunching at
Prince's alone； at a small table near the wall。
〃Your taste；〃 he remarked a little spitefully； 〃would be considered
a trifle strange。 Souspennier carries his years well； but he must
be an old man。〃
She sipped her wine thoughtfully。
〃Old or young；〃 she said； 〃he is a man； and all my life I have
loved men； … strong men。 To have him here opposite to me at this
moment； mine； belonging to me； the slave of my will； I would give
… well； I would give … a year of my life … my new tiara … anything！〃
〃What a pity；〃 he murmured； 〃that we cannot make an exchange； you
and I； Lucille and he！〃
〃Ah； Lucille！〃 she murmured。 〃Well； she is beautiful。 That goes
for much。 And she has the grand air。 But； heavens； how stupid！〃
〃Stupid！〃 he repeated doubtfully。
She drummed nervously upon the tablecloth with her fingers。
〃Oh； not stupid in the ordinary way； of course； but yet a fool。 I
should like to see man or devil try and separate us if I belonged
to him … until I was tired of him。 That would come； of course。 It
comes always。 It is the hideous part of life。〃
〃You look always；〃 he said； 〃a little too far forward。 It is a
mistake。 After all； it is the present only which concerns us。〃
〃Admirable philosophy；〃 she laughed scornfully； 〃but when one is
bored to death in the present one must look forward or backward for
consolation。〃
He continued his lunch in silence for a while。
〃I am rebuked！〃 he said。
There came a pause in the courses。 He looked at her critically。
She was very handsomely dressed in a walking costume of dove…coloured
grey。 The ostrich feathers which drooped from her large hat were
almost priceless。 She had the undeniable air of being a person of
breeding。 But she was paler even than usual； her hair；
notwithstanding its careful arrangement； gave signs of being a
little thin in front。 There were wrinkles at the corners of her
eyes。 She knew these things； but she bore his inspection with
indifference。
〃I wonder；〃 he said reflectively； 〃what we men see in you。 You
have plenty of admirers。 They say that Grefton got himself shot
out at the front because you treated him badly。 Yet … you are not
much to look at； are you？〃
She laughed at him。 Hers was never a pleasant laugh； but this time
it was at least natural。
〃How discriminating；〃 she declared。 〃I am an ugly woman； and men
of taste usually prefer ugly women。 Then I am always well dressed。
I know how to wear my clothes。 And I have a shocking reputation。
A really wicked woman； I once heard pious old Lady Surbiton call me！
Dear old thing！ It did me no end of good。 Then I have the very
great advantage of never caring for any one more than a few days
together。 Men find that annoying。〃
〃You have violent fancies；〃 he remarked； 〃and strange ones。〃
〃Perhaps；〃 she admitted。 〃They concern no one except myself。〃
〃This Souspennier craze； for instance！〃
She nodded。
〃Well； you can't say that I'm not honest。 It is positively my only
virtue。 I adore the truth。 I loathe a lie。 That is one reason；
I daresay； why I can only barely tolerate you。 You are a shocking
… a gross liar。〃
〃Muriel！〃
〃Oh； don't look at me like that；〃 she exclaimed irritably。 〃You
must hear the truth sometimes。 And now； please remember that I
came to lunch with you to hear about your visit this morning。〃
The Prince gnawed his moustache； and the light in his eyes was not
a pleasant thing to see。 This woman with her reckless life； her
odd fascination； her brusque hatred of affectations； was a constant
torment to him。 If only he could once get her thoroughly into his
power。
〃My visit；〃 he said； 〃was wholly successful。 It could not well be
otherwise。 Lucille has returned to Dorset House。 Souspennier is
confounded altogether by a little revelation which I ventured to
make。 He spoke of an appeal。 I let him know with whom he would
have to deal。 I left him nerveless and crushed。 He can do nothing
save by open revolt。 And if he tries that … well； there will be
no more of this wonderful Mr。 Sabin。〃
〃Altogether a triumph to you；〃 she remarked scornfully。 〃Oh； I
know the sort of thing。 But； after all； my dear Ferdinand； what of
last night。 I hate the woman； but she played the game； and played
it well。 We were fooled； both of us。 And to think that I … 〃
She broke off with a short laugh。 The Prince looked at her
curiously。
〃Perhaps；〃 he said； 〃you had some idea of consoling the desolate
husband？〃
〃Perhaps I had；〃 she answered coolly。 〃It didn't come off； did it？
Order me some coffee； a